Affiliation

The gaderffii, or gaffi stick, was the traditional melee weapon of the Tusken Raiders of Tatooine. It was a pole weapon with a spike or blade on one end and some kind of bludgeoning instrument on the other.

Crafted out of whatever salvage was at hand, they were very effective in close combat. Nearly every Tusken was proficient in the use of these weapons and more Tuskens chose the gaffi over the Tusken Cycler.

The weapon was of the staff variety, on average about 120 centimeters long, with a weapon-head on each end. The first resembled an archaic flanged mace, with each of the four or more flanges sharpened like an axe-edge. Upon the tip was a spearpoint. The opposite end of the gaffi stick usually was bent into an L shape, with a large and heavy club head tipped by a hook or second spearpoint (which itself was often tipped with sand bat venom) which would inflict maximum pain to an enemy. The dual weapon-heads gave a gaderffii wielder a wide and versatile range of attack options. The axe-mace could chop and hack, the spearpoint could thrust and stab, the club could bludgeon and crush, and the hook could rip and trip an opponent. In a more mundane fashion, the gaffi stick could also be used in many day-to-day survival chores, such as hunting or even digging.

Though the gaderffii were made out of whatever materials the Sand People could find, desired materials included hard metals such as iron and steel. The best gaffi sticks were Chieftain's gaderffii, often seen in hands of veteran warriors or chieftains as a rank symbol. They were made out of the rare durasteel plating found on derelict starships or vehicles that had been "slagged" upon Tatooine's surface. Such weapons were highly valued, being exceedingly durable.

A Tusken Raider wielding his gaffi stick

Sand People prized their gaderffii, which were largely custom-built and thus identifiable as belonging to particular raiders, and would not part with them willingly. Thus, when bounty hunters were sent to eliminate hostile raiders, they were told to return with their gaffi sticks as proof of the kill.